# Shouldn't a backwards QB spike be a lateral?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [October 4, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357 "2014-10-04T05:16:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/1 "2014-10-04T05:16:05Z")
I’ve never seen this called, but in football, when a QB spikes the ball in such a way that it goes backwards behind his feet, shouldn’t that be a lateral and shouldn’t the defense be allowed to recover? Of course, I’ve never seen a defense try to recover such a ball either, or even care to do so.
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/2 "2014-10-04T13:16:39Z")
Do you mean he actually throws it backwards, or just that he spikes it and it bounces backwards? Do you have a video link showing the QB actually throwing it backwards? I’ve never noticed that before.
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### Author:  [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/3 "2014-10-04T13:21:34Z")
I don’t think this has happened but it could, of course. I assume all quarterbacks are aware enough that they spike it aiming forwardish. It’s a quick motion though, snap the ball, take a couple steps back, and then throw it to the ground. I suppose there’s a possibility that it’s thrown backwards, but that initial motion of throwing it down is what makes it a “forward pass.”
I have seen penalties where the QB takes the ball, looks to a receiver, and then spikes it. That is not allowed and they would have to throw it away in that instance.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/4 "2014-10-04T13:29:11Z")
[http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/11\_2012\_ForwardPass\_BackPass\_Fumble.pdf](http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/11_2012_ForwardPass_BackPass_Fumble.pdf)
> [@](#):
>
> Item 3: Stopping Clock. A player under center is permitted to stop the game clock legally to save time if, immediately
> upon receiving the snap, he begins a continuous throwing motion and throws the ball directly into the ground.
The rule doesn’t say anything about needing to throw the pass forward, so I don’t think it matters.
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### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/5 "2014-10-04T16:29:36Z")
Your link displays as “/content…ass\_Fumble.pdf” which made me think they made a Mark Sanchez rule.
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### Author:  [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/6 "2014-10-04T17:43:32Z")
> [@Telemark](#):
>
> [http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/11\_2012\_ForwardPass\_BackPass\_Fumble.pdf](http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/11_2012_ForwardPass_BackPass_Fumble.pdf)
> The rule doesn’t say anything about needing to throw the pass forward, so I don’t think it matters.
Yes, I think it does. “Incomplete” is applicable only to a Forward Pass, which is is defined, and a pass that travels in the air that does not meet the forward pass definition is a lateral, and a free ball even if it not caught on the fly, and can be caught and advanced by any player on the offensive team, even if ineligible for a forward pass…
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### Author:  [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/7 "2014-10-04T19:55:18Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#):
>
> Do you mean he actually throws it backwards, or just that he spikes it and it bounces backwards? Do you have a video link showing the QB actually throwing it backwards? I’ve never noticed that before.
Thrown backwards.
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### Author:  [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/8 "2014-10-05T05:05:53Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#):
>
> I
>
> I have seen penalties where the QB takes the ball, looks to a receiver, and then spikes it. That is not allowed and they would have to throw it away in that instance.
That’s really a rule? Does the quarterback have to turn his head? How are they going to know if he peeks?
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### Author:  [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/9 "2014-10-05T05:30:25Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#):
>
> That’s really a rule? Does the quarterback have to turn his head? How are they going to know if he peeks?
It’s not where the QB looks, it’s the delay between the snap and the spike. An immediate spike is allowed as a clock-stopping maneuver. If the QB looks at a receiver before spiking the ball, it’s no longer immediate - in that case, it’s intentional grounding.
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### Author:  [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2014, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/10 "2014-10-05T05:33:15Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Thrown backwards.
I’ve never seen that either. Any videos you can link?
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### Author:  [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-a-backwards-qb-spike-be-a-lateral/700357/11 "2014-10-06T18:48:54Z")
A “backwards spike” would hit the QB in the feet, which is probably the main reason you have never seen it happen.